Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  October 29, 2026

Be the Go-To Asset

This Marketing Dive feature on a new campaign highlights a bigger trend that will show up in our markets sooner than later.

Look past the consumer angle. Leather goods maker Coach is shifting the role their handbags play in women’s wardrobes from status symbol (buy us and look cool) to asset (you’re already cool and we want to showcase that.) This repositioning is coming to the B2B market. It’s bigger than it appears and will change how you brand your value.

Think about how this plays out in our world. How many times did the more prominent firm get the assignment, even when they agreed you were the better option? The client explained that working with the other guys “lowered the risk.” The real reason is bragging rights.

This kind of status symbol thinking has simmered below the surface for years. Clients can no longer afford that vanity.

Instead they are laser focused and only want solutions that implements already set priorities. The outsider role has shifted from being the hero who changes everything to being an asset, part of something bigger.

Redefining your role requires more than changing your website copy. Ask yourself these two big questions:

• What do I add to what the client already has? What do they want to enhance? What is their goal and how can I increase that momentum?
• What is my role? If you’re no longer the hero who parachutes in with a magic wand, where and how do you fit into their ecosystem?

Clients aren’t looking for someone to save them. They want you to help them be a better version of who they already are.

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Now read this:

How to Position Your Next Big Role

Competitive Branding for B2B Professional Service Firms

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